Pronounced: noss-uh-FOE-bee-uh, noun
Notes: Another phobia!
Yesterday’s word
The word behoof means “advantage; benefit”
First usage
Our word came into English back in the late 1200s
Background / Comments
Our word comes from the Old English word behof (profit; need). From the same source, we get the more familiar verb “behoove” (as in it behooves us to be good citizens). I always thought that the expression “it behooves me/us to…” meant that it was something we were supposed to do; something proper or ethical; that is one definition, and it matches the “need” meaning of the source. In addition, it can use the “profit” part of the definition and mean that it is something to our advantage.
Richard's Vocabulary Word-of-the-Day 